Improvement in safes and vaults



T. J. SULLIVAN.

SAFE AND VAULT.

No. 103,688. Patented May 31, 1870.

Irenfax iillnitml sans gaunt Gtfiflirr.

i l whom it may concern:

' it known that'I, TIMOTHY J. Sonmvax, of the city nd county of Albany, State of New York, have ted certain new and useful Improvements in Safes aults; and I do hereby' declare that the follo'wa description thereof, reference being had to the panying drawing fin'ming a part of this specifi- 1, in which' F ure 1 represents a perspective view of the mte-. fa safe or vault, or its vestibule, and illustrating of the features of this invention. I ure 2 representsa vertical view of a safe or vault,

vestibule, embodying this invention. F ure 3 is one form of stay-bolt used in this invcn-' tion ure 4 is a modification of the'same. ure 5 represents a view of one part of this invention s applied to secure one of the doors of the safe nlt.

F are 6 represents a view of another part of my inve tion and embodying a second door, and illustrat- 0 mode of hanging the same.

A many burglars have become expert in the art of s e-breaking, all who have valuables to preserve feel hat the only bar to safe-breakers from entering or vault must depend on the material used in nstruction, or the manner-in which the said inateriz is secured together, and on the manner of arment by which an entrance can be effected to side of the safe or vault.

'epresents the vestibule of a vault or safe, or the bod of the same.

B fig. 2, when a vestibule is used, represents a section f the body of the vault or safe.

0 s the usual outer door.

1 shell of both the vestibule and the body of the or s .el, or of alternate plates of iron and steel, and in see-ti us aa, as circumstances may demand. The edges of tl said sections a a are furnished with grooves c ngues c, and placed in such a manner that the 'said ongues will enter the said grooves, as shown in A und or at the edges of the said sections a a ofa safe vault, or vestibule, I place angle-ironsb l), in manner that a space will be left between the said ngle-irons, as shown in figs. l and 2. :The said angl irons I) I secure to the said sections, when thus plac l, by rivets or bolts. The projecting angles of id angle-irons b l) are provided with holes -placed at a hort distance apart, and opposite one another, thro h which holes short draw-bolts c, figs. 1 and 2, are i sorted, and, when their nuts are screwed up, the said olts c draw on each angle-iron 11, secured to the edge of the sections a, and cause the tongues c to r vault I would construct of either chilled iron Y TIMOTHY J. SULLIVAN, O1 ALBANY, NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 103,683, dated ilIay 31, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT 'IN SAFES AND VAULTS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same I large stay-bolts D. The said stay-bolts I would make of round bar-iron, about one and a half inch diameter, and form their heads (I of steel,-and harden the same. At the termination of the heads of the said boltsI cut a screw-threrul, s, to receive a mash-nut, s. The said bolts are to he usedin pairs, and the terminatingends of the said bolts I furnish with right and left-hand screw-threads, which work in elongated draw-nuts f, furnished with corresponding right and left-hand screwthreads, as shown in fig. 3. A modification of the same bolt D is shown in fig. 4.

The number of such bolts D used in the construction of a safe or vault must in all cases depend on the size of such vault or safe, and their directions will always be registered by the arrangements of the sections a a, which they are to draw and strengthen together. When the heads (Z of .the said bolts 1) are titted in their places, and the draw-nut f is turned, so as to draw the bolts, in pairs, toward each other, until the edges of the sections are brought tight together; the mash-nut is then screwed up tightly to bring on the surface of the shell, or sections. Being thus placed and secured, no mechanical force can be brought to bear on the safe or vault, or any of their parts, either to force the several sections apart or to crush the same in, because of the heads which bind together, and the mash-nuts, which will prevent bending down or breakin of the shell.

To make more secure the entrance to the vault or safe than is now made, I provide the door, besides the usual lock-bolts, with eyes y, into which work books It, figs. 1, 2, and 5. The said eyes are either screwed into the loclcframe 'i of the door 0, or riveted into the same before the said lock-frame is secured to the door. The hooks h are attached to a heavyshaft, 7;, which shaft It has its hearings in blocks m, secured to the shell, and is free to be turned in the same. The said shafts 7; are operated by the levers n a, attached to the said shaft, and connected with a bar, 0, which is operated by a pin, 1), secured to the disk q, as shown in figs. 1, 2, and 5. A combination movement, not shown, is intended to be used with the said disk, as with a lock, and operated by a knob, 1', which knob, when the con1- bination is known, when turned in one direction will operate the hooks 72- by means of the aforsaid levers, bar, shaft, disk, and pin, or their equivalents, and throw' them out from their eyes 9, and, when turned in an opposite direction, will throw them into the same, and thus hold the door.

By this invention the outer doorC of a safe or vault will not only be held in place by the usual strong lockbn'lts, but will also have its attachment to the vault or safe strengthened by the many books h, that may be used, and will also be further protected by the addi tional combination operating with the said hooks.

To give further security to the safe or vault, andto prevent the introduction of gunpowder, nitro-glycerine, or other explosive substance into the main body of the safeor vault, I furnish the safe or vault with an inner door, 1*, which will communicate with the body of the safe or vault at the termination of the vestibule. The said door F I make of steel, or of chilled iron, or of alternate layers of both. The said door is made round, as shown in fig. 1, and of sufiicient size to ad mit without inconvenience, when removed, the passage of a person into the body of the vault.

I cuton theperiphery of the said door ascrew-thrcad,

t, to areasonable depth, say about three to four inches, more or less, and provide, on its outer side, flanges n, which work into corresponding seats provided in the body of the safe. I also make, on the inside of the body of the. safe or vault, a flange, c, which projects out therefrom to such a distance as will be capable of receiving a screw-thread corresponding with the screwthread t out on the door, and also to receive the lockbolts 20, figs. 2 and 6. The said door F I would hang somewhat in the manner shown in figs. 2and 6, or any other suitable manner, so that the said door could be properly supported and swung to and from its corresponding opening, and from its entrance in its place. In the body 13 1 apply a crank-wrench, to the square spindle x, by which the said door would be screwed in or out.

To this door I would also apply any suitable combination lock, not shown, which would'operate the lockbolts to, after thedoorhas been screwed to its place,

and secure the door from being screwed out. Should the screw-threads be reversed in their order, so that the'door F would screw on a flange, it would operate equally as well.

A safe or vault thus constructed and provided with an outerv door, 0, and inner door F, attached and secured in their places by the usual lock-bolts, hooks, and screwing, and guarded by three distinct sets of combinations, could not be entered by the most skillful cxperts in the longest interval of time that might be allowed betwecn business hours. 1

Having described my invention,

What I claim, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is- Y Y l 1. In the construction of safes or vaults, the grooves c, and tongues c, in' combination with the angle-irons b band draw-bolts e, substantially in the manner set forth, for the purpose specified.

2. Insafcs' or vaults, the stay-bolts I), to draw together the several 'parts of the said vault or safe, substantially in the manner set forth.

3, The combination of the books 71, eyes g, and shaft 7;, when-constructed and arranged substantially in the manner. set forth, for the purpose specified.

4. The outside knob r, in combination with the disk q, pin 1), -bar o, and levers n, substantiall y as and for the purpose set forth. I v

5. In combination with a safe or vault, the door 0, arranged to swingin, and a door, F, to screw into or on its place,"and used in combination, for the purpose T. J. SULLIVAN.

Witnesses;

ALEX. SELKIRK, 4 GHAS. SELKIRK. 

